Smile Again for Me
by Nana Eddy
Summary: the sequel for tears behind smile. Mikan is always sleepy in class. Looks like she found a new hobby/things to do. Natsume's getting weaker but he finds his mission to be easier these days


I knew I promised the sequel long ago, but I haven't been able to spend time for it until recently

I knew I promised the sequel long ago, but I haven't been able to spend time for it until recently. And since I hadn't been writing for a long time, this first chapter might be a bit plain and awkward. But, like what the old people says, the next step is determined by weather or not we took the first step (or something like that). So, R&R please. Don't be kind, comment. ideas are also welcome... i'm kinda having a writer's block right now.

like the last one,

'...' - dialogue

_inner thought_

**The World behind Me**

'Sakura Mikan!!' a tall bespectacled man stood with his arms crossing each other. His face is full of annoyance. The wand-like stick in his right hand seems to release some sort of electrical spark.

'Aah!! I'm sorry Jii-chan!! I promise I won't do it again.' The class roared with laughter as the brunette stood up from her chair in utter bewilderment. Realizing the situation her face quickly turned into a deep shed of red.

'Sakura Mikan!! Sleeping in class again aren't you? Shall we have a long nice talk in the discipline room after class today?' the man said after the class finally calmed down.

The look on the brunette face clearly showed her reluctance as she answered, 'Yes, Jinno sensei.'

--

'So, was Jinno rough on you?' Anna said as she meets up with Mikan in the hallway.

Mikan let out a sheepish grin and while rubbing the back of her head she answered, 'He's a devil like always. He just assigned me tons of home works… again.'

Mikan sighs heavily as the thought of mountains of home works that has yet to be done. _I don't even have the time to do it either._

'What's with you Mikan? Recently you're always sleeping in class.' Yuu looked genuinely troubled.

Mikan let out a mischievous smile as she says, 'Ah, I found a new game and have been depriving sleep since.' _I just need some time to adapt._

'Eyh, is that okay? It is not going to be good for your studies and angering Jinno sensei is not going to help your star ranking. Weren't you aiming to go home and visit your grandpa this semester?' Yuu said still being concerned. _Well, she aimed for that each semester, but each time there's bound to be some things that happened which totally crushes her chance. At least it never was for something as trivial as games._

Mikan can't help but smile at her friend. Ever since she entered this academy, Yuu had always been more than willing to help her, while thinking_, Yuu really is such a nice guy. He already have a hard time controlling the class, my problem should the least be of his concern_, Mikan answered, 'I guess I got too much absorbed with it. Thank you for reminding me Yuu. No wonder you are the inchou each semester. You're so responsible and sharp.'

Yuu blushed at the remark, but had to control himself from smiling broadly as his girlfriend next to him is glaring with the intensity to kill. Softly he whispered to her, 'Let it go, Sumire. You know I only love you.'

'I won't forgive you if it's otherwise' Sumire replied also whispering. She turned her head elsewhere in order to hide her blushing face.

She didn't know she could be this jealous. Of course, she had always been jealous of Mikan because both of her Natsume-sama and Ruka-sama is nice to her (well sometimes for Natsume), but she never thought she would be jealous when it comes to Yuu. Yuu had always been nice to everyone and he had always been close to Mikan so, she never thought about it much, until she accidentally heard some juniors talking in the restroom.

Flashback

'Don't you think Yuu-sempai is cool?' A girl with a pink ponytail said.

Sumire almost burst with pride from behind the door.

'Yes, I too think that. His eyes behind those glasses are just simply dreamy' another girl wearing a blue sweatshirt said.

Sumire had to nod in agreement. Yuu has grown miraculously handsome this past years. His geeky glass now looked cool.

'Not to mention he's very warm and kind.' The pink pony tailed girl added.

Sumire smiled to herself. _Yes his warm and kind nature is what captured my heart_.

'If I could be his girlfriend, it would be nice' the girl added again

Sumire felt her fist clenched, _hey now THAT's over the line._

Their friend who was just standing by interrupted their day dream, 'Better don't push your luck…'

_Now there's a sensible girl… say it, he already had a beautiful girlfriend, Sumire sempai._ Sumire pressed her ears closer to the door.

'…He's always around that ultra cute and cool Mikan sempai.' The girl finishes her sentence.

_What?_ Sumire can't believe her ears.

'What? Are they dating?' The blue sweat-shirt girl said looking crestfallen.

_No he's dating ME. The ultra cute and cool one, is ME not HER. _Sumire almost cry out loud when suddenly she remembered, she never really allowed Yuu to show any kind of romantic gesture towards her in front of people. She finds it embarrassing. Plus, she would look bad as the Natsume and Ruka fan club's president. She mentally kicks herself.

'Hey, I said around, not dating. Plus, he does also almost always can be seen with beautiful girls from his class. Like Hotaru sempai…' the girls face lifts up, obviously full of admiration for her sempai.

Sumire felt a glint of hope. _Say my name…_

'And…' Sumire's hope increased drastically...

'Anna sempai…' and crushed instantly.

'Don't insert your admiration for girl seniors when talking about guy seniors. We're talking about Yuu sempai!' the pink pony tailed girl said disrupting her friends.

'But, well, if we compare ourselves to them, we simply have no chance.' Her blue sweat-shirt friend said in response.

She sighs before admitting, 'I guess you're right.'

End of Flashback

_They didn't even mention ME and the first on their list is HER._ Sumire greeted her teeth.Although she knows that Mikan is not at fault and although she likes Mikan, she can't help feeling jealous. Thus, because of the jealousy, she finds every possible means to make Mikan's life a little bit harder.

Her train of thought was blocked when Yuu suddenly took her hands. She automatically blushed.

_I never knew he could be so blunt._ She didn't even try to hide the incident to Yuu. What she didn't expect was after giving Yuu a piece of her mind, Yuu suddenly pulled her to his arms and kissed her. She suddenly felt lost at words.

That time she remembered Yuu smiled and said, 'Then, it's time you stop following other guys and start staying by my side right? Then, everyone would know that I only belong to you.'

_Darn ever since then I can't complain anymore. He does whatever he wants and I can't help but blush. Like right now, why is he taking my hands while walking? Everyone is watching…_

She took a peek at Yuu's smiling face. The breeze that's playing with his hair makes him look strikingly good from her point of view.

_Well, it's not like I hate it…_

Sumire almost bumped into Yuu when they suddenly stopped. She heard him say,

'So, are you joining us to central town today?'

Mikan answered with an apologetic smile, 'Sumimasen, I can't today. I promise a kouhai to help her.'

'YOU help someone? Please… the poor kouhai would probably be lost her entire stay here.' Sumire seize the first chance she has to ridicule Mikan.

Mikan made a face at Sumire as she walks by.

'Imai-san, are you joining us?' Yuu asked.

With her usual monotonous voice, Hotaru said, 'No, I have some work to finish at the lab… Jaa.' She then followed her friend's steps.

Yuu looked at his girlfriend and said, 'well then, I guess it's a date.'

Sumire had a hard time trying to control herself from blushing as Yuu led her towards the bus stop.

--

'Are you okay Mikan?' the usually monotonous voice sounded concerned.

Mikan smiled at her best friend, _she must be worried_ _sick_. 'Yes, Hotaru I'm perfectly fine.'

Mikan's smile doesn't seem to convince Hotaru as she says 'You look tired. You do remember your promise right?'

'Of course I do, if it's too much for me, I'll stop' _Sorry Hotaru I can't and I won't._

'You better do, or I'll MAKE you stop. _I'll try even though I know it's not possible. _You've been sleeping in class for the past week. It's impossible to think that it is not tough on you' Hotaru watched her friend's reaction from the corner of her eyes.

'It's tough. But it's the path I choose. I just need to adapt a little. Don't worry Hotaru…' Mikan said to her worried friend while clinging to her friend's hand.

Hotaru rolled her eyes, 'Don't strain yourself too much. You might become an idiot beyond repair.'

Mikan grinned sheepishly, 'Thanks Hotaru. But, you're so mean to say something like that.'

'Well, you ARE an idiot.' Hotaru said while preparing her baka gun to be fired

Like the usual routine, after her friend said something mean, she'll whine and rush to hug her friend, 'Hotaru!!'

Hotaru was about to launch her baka gun when Mikan suddenly stopped at her tracks.

Bewildered, Hotaru asked, 'What?' she turned towards where her friend was looking

Mikan smiled and say, 'Natsume… I'm going to greet him'

Hotaru sighs and sweatdrop, 'That idiot, she's too much into that guy that she even put her usual routine in second to greet him.' Hotaru shake her head as she follows her friend's trail.

'Na-tsu-me-kun!!' Mikan shouted as cheery as she had always did.

With the usual grunt, Natsume replied, 'What you want pigtails?'

Mikan pouted, 'It's MI-KA-N. Do you plan on calling me names for the rest of your life?'

'Yeah, probably.' _It's your fault for not wanting to let your hair down! _Natsume continued his steps trying not to look at the brunette.

'Geez… anyway, you skipped the last class again today. What is it that you hate so much about Narumi sensei?' Mikan asked while already knowing the reason.

'He's a psycho pervert.' Natsume answered without hesitation

Mikan turned to her face towards Hotaru and as their eyes met they smiled as if saying,_ lets tease him a bit. _

Mikan caught up to Natsume and say 'Oh, the fact that he could get you blush huh?'

It stopped Natsume at his track.

'Not to mention faint. You still can't handle the love huh?' Hotaru said while calmly eating her canned nuts.

_What? How did they interpret like that?_ Natsume's eyes widen a bit as he says, 'Of course not!!'

Mikan laughed at the boy's reaction and said, 'Don't be shy. We've known you long enough.'

_I have to change the subject. '_Where are you going? Didn't you join the others to central town? Ah! Don't try to ask me I'm not go…'

'Ah!!' Mikan stopped Natsume at his words when she realized the time. 'I'm late for my tra…'

'Uhum!!' Hotaru pretended to choke on her food. _Idiot! be careful with your words!!_

Realizing her mistake, Mikan said, '…for my meeting with my kouhai. See you guys later. Jaa ne!!' She didn't wait for her friends to reply as she run off towards her appointment.

It left Natsume and Hotaru looking awkwardly at each other.

'I'll better get going. I need to finish my project' Hotaru said after a moment of silence.

As Natsume too continue his steps, he thought, _They're acting weird… but then again, they were always weird. _And quickly he brushed off the thought from his mind.

--

'Natsume' A blonde haired boy approached Natsume as he were about to reach his destination.

'Ruka' Natsume nodded in recognition.

'Are you feeling better?' in Ruka's eyes, Natsume is always sick. Even when he looked okay.

Natsume replied with the usual 'I'm okay'

'….'_ No matter how I look at him I can't help but be worried. _Ruka thought as he look at his friend's handsome face.

Realizing Ruka's anxiety, Natsume said, 'Hey, I'm okay. Don't worry too much. It seems recently my works has been lighter.' _I wonder why. Somehow, it worries me._

Ruka shook his head slightly, 'But your health… even little work damages you a lot.'

'You're thinking too much. I'm okay.' Natsume replied with a look that says _'drop it!'_

'But…' Ruka was about to protest

'I'm okay…' Natsume said firmly

'Black cat…' and eerie presence was felt by both of them.

As the figure comes closer Natsume says, 'Ruka, I have to go'

Concerned, Ruka said 'But you're still pale and you just got back…'

Natsume patted his friend's shoulder and say, 'Trust me like you always do… jaa'

As Ruka watched the disappearing back he thought, _Natsume…_ _I still don't understand why is it that only you have to suffer…_

--

'Why has my workload decreased?' Natsume asked when they were alone.

With a smirk, Persona replied, 'Aren't you happy? You could postpone your death a little'

Natsume still hold his composure, 'That is not what I inquire'

Persona turned to look at the boy as he said, 'You might get to meet her on your mission today'

'Her?' Natsume felt uneasy.

'The person who made it possible for you to finish your mission effectively without exerting too much energy.' Persona replied casually.

Natsume felt his anger rising, 'Didn't I say not to touch my friends?'

Coolly, Persona replied, 'I didn't say it's one of your friends.'

'I don't need a partner.' _Even more so if it's female_. Mikan's bright face flashed in his mind. Clearing his head, he added, 'It's too much hassle. I work better alone.'

As if reading Natsume's thoughts, Persona laughed haughtily, his laughter stopped abruptly with a disgust smirk, 'Humph. You have no say in this. _THEY_ decide for you.'

Almost mockingly, Persona leaned towards Natsume while gently yet alarmingly hold the boy's face and hissed, 'you just have to listen to what they say, more importantly to what _I_ say.'

Natsume felt his frustration builds up._ If it's not for the sake of my friends, I would have burn this guy to crisp._

Tears, blood and the cold unforgiving night

Is the world that I knew and lived

Smiles, laughter when everything is bright

Is the world that is best be left behind


End file.
